why google displays wrong site name

To change your site name in Google SERP, start by updating your homepage’s <title> tag to reflect the correct name. Next, add the site-name meta tag in the <head> section and implement WebSite structured data using JSON-LD to define the preferred site name. Ensure consistency by updating your brand name across social media, business directories, and external sources like Wikipedia if applicable.

If you need help fixing your site name contact EASYSEO agency →

Check your backlinks and internal links to ensure they reference the new name. To speed up Google’s recognition, submit an updated sitemap and share refreshed content on high-traffic platforms. Google will update the site name over time based on these signals.

Why Google displays the wrong site name in SERP

  • Improper Site Name Markup – Google uses structured data (schema.org) to identify a website’s name. Incorrect or missing markup can lead to errors.
  • Brand Name Conflicts – If multiple businesses or websites use similar names, Google might pick an alternative name.
  • Domain History & Authority – If a domain was previously owned by another entity, Google may associate it with past data.
  • Google’s Algorithm Interpretation – Google dynamically generates site names based on its understanding of the brand and user expectations.
  • Metadata Issues – Inconsistent or missing meta titles, Open Graph tags, or structured data can confuse Google.
  • Crawling & Indexing Errors – If Google has cached outdated information, it may not reflect the latest updates.
  • Content & Branding Signals – Google extracts site names from logos, internal links, and brand mentions. Weak branding signals can cause mismatches.

Ultimate Site Name Change Strategy

✅ Fix entity conflicts in Google Knowledge Graph, Wikidata, and Wikipedia
✅ Update external authoritative sources (social media, business directories, citations)
✅ Optimize structured data (WebSite + "sameAs" to link entity sources)
✅ Force reprocessing with high-traffic internal links and ping services
✅ Track Google’s NLP response using API and structured data testing tools

🚀 The Fastest Path to a Google Site Name Change

  1. Correct Wikidata / Wikipedia if possible
  2. Update WebSite schema & force recrawl via high-traffic pages
  3. Adjust backlink anchor texts to prioritize new name
  4. Use Google Lens & Image Search to reinforce branding
  5. Monitor updates via Google’s API & branded search queries

If you need even deeper control over the update speed, the next step would be PR campaigns + verified media citations (Forbes, TechCrunch, etc.), which can override outdated Google entity records.

Understand How Google Determines Site Name

Google derives your site name from multiple data layers:

  1. HTML signals (title, meta tags, structured data)
  2. External entity signals (backlinks, Wikipedia, Google Knowledge Graph, Wikidata)
  3. Search interaction data (brand searches, click-through rates, SERP engagement)
  4. Authority sources (Google Business Profile, schema, verified social profiles)

If Google is displaying an incorrect or outdated site name, it’s usually due to a conflict or a dominant old signal in Knowledge Graph and external sources.

Control Your Entity in Google’s Knowledge Graph

Google stores and retrieves entity information for brands/sites from a centralized knowledge database (Knowledge Graph). If your brand already exists as an entity in Google’s database, you must correct signals at the source.

Check if You’re in the Knowledge Graph

  • Search Your Brand Name in Google
  • Check if a Knowledge Panel appears (right-hand sidebar)
  • Use Google’s API to verify:
    • Go to https://kgsearch.googleapis.com/v1/entities:search?query=YourBrandName&key=API_KEY
    • If results appear, your site is an indexed entity.

How to Change Google’s Stored Name in Knowledge Graph

  1. Update Your Wikidata Page (If Available)
    • Google pulls brand entity data from Wikidata, so updating your page can correct its records.
    • Example: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/QXXXXXX

    • Ensure the "label" and "alias" fields contain your correct site name.
  2. Get Your Site Listed on Wikipedia
    • Google trusts Wikipedia more than your website for entity information.
    • If your site is notable, get an updated Wikipedia page or correct your existing listing.
  3. Optimize Google Business Profile (GBP)
    • Even if you don’t have a physical business, Google pulls brand name signals from GBP.
    • Ensure the GBP name matches the correct site name.
  4. Claim Your Knowledge Panel
    • If you have a Knowledge Panel, claim it via Google:
      • Click “Claim this knowledge panel”
      • Sign in with a Google Account linked to your site

Adjust External Signals to Reinforce Correct Name

Google’s NLP algorithms extract brand identity from external sources. If external mentions contradict your preferred site name, Google may ignore your structured data.

Prioritize Updates on High-Authority External Sources

✅ Wikipedia / Wikidata
✅ Crunchbase
✅ LinkedIn Company Page
✅ Trustpilot / Better Business Bureau
✅ Medium / Guest Blogs / PR Articles

🔹 Pro Tip: Use a branded search query ("old site name" -site:yourwebsite.com) to find outdated mentions across the web. Then request corrections.

Alternative method 1

To display your business name instead of the website address in Google search results, you’ll need to verify your business with Google My Business and optimize your website’s title tags.

Here’s how:

  1. Verify your business on Google My Business*: Claim your business listing and verify it through Google’s process.
  2. Update your website’s title tags*: Ensure your website’s title tags accurately reflect your business name. This will help Google display your business name instead of the website address.
  3. Use schema markup*: Add schema markup to your website’s HTML to provide additional context about your business. This can help Google understand your business and display the correct name.

Alternative method 2

make sure that you have the exact same wording in these sections:

  1.  <meta property=”og:site_name”
  2.  organization schema or WebSite schema
  3. add it to your, and on your other pages make it
  4. if you have a prominent logo that you are displaying and that has a link to your website, add the descriptor class=”site-title” as in: ahref